Nomination papers for town election due Feb. 19

Nomination papers are now available for the April town election. Voters will elect two members to the Board of Selectmen, three to the Planning Board, two to the School Committee, and Town Meeting representatives in all precincts. The deadline to file nomination papers is 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19. To run for a seat on one of the local boards, candidates must submit at least 50 certified signatures of registered voters to the town clerk’s office by the deadline; those interested in becoming a Town Meeting representative must submit at least 10 certified signatures from voters in their precinct. “We need people in all the precincts to run for Town Meeting rep,” said Shirley Schult, Billerica’s town clerk, noting that the other races have already generated a lot of interest. To date, three people have pulled papers for the Board of Selectmen’s race: incumbents Michael S. Rosa, who is vice chairman of the board, and Robert M. Correnti; and George Simolaris Jr., an Andover Road resident who in November spearheaded a campaign against a proposed $14 million makeover of Billerica’s town center that had been approved by Town Meeting but was rejected by voters in a special election. Four people have pulled papers for the three seats on the Planning Board: incumbent David C. Saviano; Town Meeting member Rome Capobianco; and political newcomers Matthew H. Battcock and David A. Kinsella. The School Committee is also likely to be a contested race. Three people have pulled papers: incumbents Daniel Cugno, who is the committee’s chairman, and Marie Blanchette, the committee’s secretary; and Mark Efstratiou, who is a Town Meeting representative. For more information, contact the town clerk’s office at 978-671-0924.